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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Today I want to tell you about a YA urban fantasy series that I recently started reading...

Below you will find info about each of the books in Mary Ting's The Angel Knights series as well as my review for The Chosen Knights!

And make sure to read until the end...there is a giveaway!

First here is a little about The Chosen Knights...

About THE CHOSEN KNIGHTS (The Angel Knights Book 2)

A page turning mystery with a supernatural twist that entertains to the last page! ~InD'tale Magazine

When teens go missing in Hawaii, a group of demon-hunters—half human and half angel—disguised as high school students, must leave Crossroads, the place where they reside. In a race against time, they uncover the mystery connecting the missing teens, which dates back to the era of the Knights Templar. However, when they discover one of the Templars passed down a book containing all the secrets and codes to finding a particular treasure, they soon realize this forbidden treasure needs to be found before Cyrus, the lord of the possessor demons, acquires it—a treasure which been safeguarded and hidden from him.

There is only one problem: the pages containing the clues leading to the treasure is missing. When the first page is found, Cyrus threatens to kill more descendants of the Knights Templar if it is not given to him by Friday the thirteenth. In the midst of threats and discovery, the demon-hunting angels find they are not alone when supernatural beings begin to reveal themselves. Can they put their differences aside and work together to solve the Knights Templars’ cipher? As they astral travel to the past, they witness a lot more than they have bargained for. And some things are better left unseen.

My heart pounded mercilessly from his words. A hint of playfulness was behind his tone, especially since he wasn’t staring at his pendant but directly at me.

“Umm.” My face flushed. I changed the subject. “We need to get back to our friends. They’re worried about us, and they might need our help.”

He took another step, followed by my backward step. We continued that way for several steps more until I bumped into a tree.

“They’ll be fine,” he said. “Time stands still when we astral travel. It sounds strange, but we could be here for days, and only seconds will have passed in the present.” Eli stood before me with hunger in his eyes. The nearness of his six-foot-plus strong and masculine body caused fluttering feelings to erupt in my stomach.

“What are you, Eli?” I tried to break whatever was happening between us because God help me, I was falling.

Eli cupped my face tenderly with the palms of his hands. With his eyes deeply set on me, I imagined he could see right through my soul. “I am...everything,” he answered softly but sternly. Then he paused to brush his lips ever so gently on mine. “And you...are my girl with wings.” I was frozen in place, as stiff as the tree trunk supporting my back. The only thing that moved was my chest and my heart racing at the same speed as his. Just before he crushed his lips onto mine, he said in somber tone, “You will be the destruction of me.”

***

So what did I think of The Chosen Knights?Here is my review!

Title: The Chosen Knights (Book #2 The Angel Knights)Author: Mary TingFormat: eBookBuy on AmazonA fascinating YA urban fantasy, The Chosen Knights captured my attention from the very first page and left me wanting more.The first full-length book in The Angel Knights series features the children of characters from another Mary Ting series, Crossroads Saga. I have not yet read that series, but I was able to follow along just fine so readers shouldn’t worry if they haven’t read it. Although, reading this book has definitely made me want to check out the other series so I can learn more about the parents’ story. With that being said, I do highly recommend reading the prequel to this book The Angel Knights, however, as it explains and sets up the series and introduces you to some of the main characters, such as Lucia and Zach.Half-human and half-angel, Lucia and Zach have lived in Crossroads, the place between Heaven and Earth, their entire lives training to become Venators, or demon hunters. Now, along with their uncle, they must venture into the human world to investigate the suspicious disappearances of teens in Hawaii. As Lucia tries to adjust to life as a human teenager she begins to suspect that her family may not be the only supernatural beings in town. They soon find themselves dealing with clues and legends from the past while trying to protect innocents from an evil demon lord. Along the way, they find allies in surprising places and Lucia finds herself experiencing emotions that are foreign to her…like love.Lucia is an interesting character. Only half-human, she is not used to the emotions, thoughts, and everything else that comes with being a teenager in the human world including falling in love. Everything about the human world is new to her and she has to adapt, but sometimes doesn’t really understand the world and why people acted they way they did. She has a kind heart and is, at times, too trusting which leads to some sticky situations for her and her loved ones. She also has the tendency to act before she thinks, which is not really a good thing considering the consequences of battling demons. This is something that not only frustrated me, but also frustrated her Uncle Davin (a character that I absolutely adored, by the way…he’s like a big kid). But I look forward to watching Lucia grow and learn further as the series continues.In addition to the characters, I found the different types of demons as well as the other supernatural elements included in this story quite interesting. It wasn’t your typical Angels vs. Demons, good vs. evil story and I liked that. There was a lot more to it including legends, different traits, distinctions, etc. The different legends and stories that Lucia and her family come across during their investigations were fascinating. From the Knights Templar to legends of the blue moon to the history of the creation of the first demons, everything had a reason for being included in the story.The story had a few unexpected (and a few expected, if I am being honest) turns. Because the book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment in this series to see what happens next!

My Rating: 4 Stars

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

***

Check out the entire Angel Knights series!

About THE ANGEL KNIGHTS (The Angel Knights Book 1)

Michael and Claudia’s decision to move back to Crossroads was to keep their children safe, but they can’t escape who they are. Their children, Zachary and Lucia, were destined to be demon hunters—Venators. From the age they were able to hold a sword, they were trained to become the best and to ensure they would become leaders one day.

All is peaceful throughout the land until the Fallen and demons’ presences were felt in the between and on Earth. As the Venators investigate these locations, they will quickly learn how dangerous their lives are. Hearts will be broken. Teammates will lose their lives. And they will face obstacles which will test their faith.

As danger grows, the fear of fallen angels and demons regrouping has the Divine Elders on pins and needles. Now, Zachary and Lucia, along with Uncle Davin, must prepare themselves—mentally and physically—to live on Earth to investigate where the focal point of evil resides before it’s too late.

Eli, Lucia's half-demon love interest, has been stabbed with a true-cross dagger and captured by Cyrus, master of the possessor demons.

The Chosen Knights must work together once again not only to save Eli, but also to decipher a clue to find the second missing page of Jacques de Molay's journal. Meanwhile, Uncle Davin informs Crossroads Divine Elders of the danger ahead and learns there is much more to fear.

Countless children are being taken from all over the world to be turned into demons.

Michael, one of the Divine Elders, has no choice but to intervene. The Chosen Knights track down Mortem, the demon who is the key to finding Cyrus, and learn they must travel deep into the pit of a Hawaiian volcano.

When they astral travel to the past in search of a clue and follow Jacques de Moley to Roselyn Chapel in medieval Scotland, what they find will rewrite history.

International Bestselling, Award-Winning, Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great.

I am not sure that words can express how much I enjoyed this book, but since I have to write a review I am going to have to try.

First, a confession…I always wanted to go to Summer camp. From the moment I first saw Hayley Mills (yes, I am going old school) randomly bumping into her long-lost twin in the Parent Trap, I wanted that…friendship, fun, arts & crafts, prank wars. TV, movies, and books make it look like so much fun and Keeping Her Secrets made me wish I had had a chance to experience it (although, to be completely honest in my little confession here, I probably would have been miserable…I was an indoorsy bookworm).

Anyway, this second entry in the Endless Summer series finds us back at Camp Pine Ridge where there’s plenty of relationship drama mixed into the arts & crafts. Oh, and don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book (Daring the Bad Boy by Monica Murphy), this one is a standalone with different characters and by a different author so you’ll have no problem following the antics of the teenage campers. I read them out of order and had no problem.

Keeping Her Secret was such a good summer romance about two girls falling in love…that is so hard to find! Eager to enjoy her last free summer at Camp Pine Ridge before committing herself to her parents’ plan for her future, Courtney gets an unexpected surprise when her childhood best friend and crush, Riya, shows up at the camp. Riya is just as surprised. When her parents convinced her to go to camp, she never expected to see the girl she fell in love with as a kid. As both girls adjust to the presence of the other, it stirs up old feelings and leads to all kinds of mixed emotions, secrets, introspection and more.

Courtney and Riya were such an interesting pairing. Almost complete opposites and from completely different backgrounds, one a girl scared to express her sexuality and another openly bisexual with a great support system. Courtney has what she sees as an inescapable future already planned out for her by her controlling parents, a future that definitely doesn’t include a girlfriend. Meanwhile, Riya tries her best to protect herself from being hurt as she focuses on her own future. All of this leads to pain and confusion and misunderstandings and…well, you can’t help but hope that they learn to understand and accept not only each other but also themselves. Courtney’s internal struggle with doing and being what is expected of her is heartbreaking and serves as a reminder that you never truly know what people are going through just by looking at them. Both grow a lot during the Summer and it was so nice to join them on their journey as they finally discovered who they were meant to be and learned to face their fears.

Their fellow campers help them quite bit on this journey. While there is a lot of emotion and drama in the book, it isn’t all teenage romance and angst…there is plenty of fun camp antics with prank wars, volleyball games, and other camp activities. Moments that make you long for carefree summers with your friends. I loved their circle of friends, which included Courtney’s twin, Colt and Riya’s new camp bestie, Dee…they are the support system and sounding boards for Courtney and Riya…and I wouldn’t mind reading more about them.

But this was Courtney and Riya’s story…a story I am glad I had a chance to read. To me, Keeping Her Secret is a wonderful summer romance about not only about falling in love, but also learning to accept yourself.

My Rating: 4 ½ Stars

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

***

And now here's a little bit more about the book and its author...

Book Title: Keeping Her Secret (Endless Summer series)

Author: Sarah Nicholas

Release Date: August 22, 2016

Genre: YA Contemporary F/F Romance

Two girls. One kiss.

The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks.

Courtney has what every girl wants—she’s beautiful, rich, and the object of every boy’s desire at Camp Pine Ridge. Too bad none of them make her feel an iota of what Riya’s kiss did all those years ago. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target.

Neither girl can stop thinking about the other...but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains drinking, sexual situations, and a fairy-tale romance sure to make your heart melt.

Sarah is a 31-year-old YA author who currently lives in Orlando, FL. She believes that some boys are worth trusting, all girls have power, and dragons are people too.

She's a proud member of the Gator Nation and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, but has switched careers entirely. She now works as an Event Coordinator for a County Library. She also blogs at YAtopia.

Joshua never thought he'd return to the world of Nostos so soon. But, when King Apollo needs his help in the Arrow Realm, Joshua's will and powers will be tested in order to save him.

With his loyalties divided between our world and theirs, Joshua wonders whether he alone can restore magic to the twelve powerless Olympian heirs, or whether he is being tricked into making the one mistake that might cost them all.

JOSHUA AND THE ARROW REALM is the exciting follow up to JOSHUA THE LIGHTNING ROAD which the Midwest Book Review called, "a heart-pounding thrill ride."

Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.

To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.

In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.

Donna is the author of the Joshua and the Lightning Road series and the Element Trilogy. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs at www.project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogs..., a cooperative of published middle grade authors. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com and www.ElementTrilogy.com. Donna wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle.

I can still remember hearing the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman as a kid and loving every minute of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Wake the Hollow takes this classic story from American literature and gives it a unique spin with a little bit of history and a whole lotta of mystery.After the death of her mother Mica returns to her childhood home in Sleepy Hollow, where she reconnects with her former best friend, Bram and learns about the mystery surrounding Washington Irving from student teacher, Dane. But not everyone is happy to see Mica return as her mother was kind of the town outcast, a woman who was determined to the point of madness (according to some) to prove that her family was descended from the creator of the famous legend, Washington Irving. Soon Mica is having strange dreams and is haunted by more than just the memories of her past. Add in a missing diary of Washington Irving, sightings of the Headless Horseman, and secrets from the past and what we get is an entertaining mystery with Mica determined to find answers.As Mica investigates her mother’s death and the secrets she was keeping further, things only grow more complicated and frustrating for her. Mica is confused and doesn’t know who she should trust. I really felt for Mica because as a reader, I didn’t know who she should trust either. Every time it seemed like she was closer to getting an answer, a new twist would pop up. I can only imagine how Mica felt alone in a town full of people she doesn’t really know all that well anymore trying to work things through on her own. Everyone seems to have secrets and motives. The author did a great job making everyone a suspect in this mystery. I love mysteries and couldn’t wait to see how it would resolve itself.But the story was more than just a mystery though, in my opinion. At the heart of the story is Mica and her relationship with her mother. It brings Mica “home” setting events into motion. Mica and her mother had a complicated relationship due to the fact that they didn’t quite understand each other and were separated when Mica was young. There were a lot of unresolved issues between the two and Mica struggles with this as she learns more about her mother and her life. In her mother’s defense, I do have to say that Mica seems to have a lot of complicated relationships though…she needs some help with communication.Anyway, I enjoyed my visit to Sleepy Hollow and the mystery of the story and hope to read more from Gaby Triana.

Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.

This town will suck you in and not let go.

Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.

Find the answers.

Unless, of course, the answers find you first.

***

About the Author:

GABY TRIANA is the award-winning author of six YA novels—Wake the Hollow (Aug. 2016, Entangled), Summer of Yesterday, Riding the Universe, The Temptress Four, Cubanita, and Backstage Pass, as well as thirteen ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors. Originally a 4th grade teacher with a Master of Science in Elementary Education and ten years teaching experience, Gaby earned Teacher of the Year in 2000, wrote her first novel, Freddie and the Biltmore Ghost, then left teaching to launch a full-time writing career. She went on to publish young adult novels with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, win an IRA Teen Choice Award, ALA Best Paperback Award, and Hispanic Magazine’s Good Reads of 2008. She spends her time obsessing about Halloween, Christmas, and Disney World, as well as hosting parties, designing mugs, making whimsical cakes, and winning costume contests. When she’s not writing, she might also be watching Jurassic Park movies with her boys, posting excessive food pics on social media, or helping run the Florida region of the SCBWI. Gaby lives in Miami with her three sons, Michael, Noah, and Murphy. She has one dog, Chloe, and two cats—Miss Daisy, and the reformed thug, shooting survivor, Bowie.

Now for the giveaway courtesy of Gaby Triana!One lucky winner will win a Grand prize of one Halloween bracelet made by Gaby + a $20 Amazon gift card!7 other lucky winners will also win Halloween bracelets!US only.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Fay from Bibliophile Soprano was supposed to be my guest during the Summer Blogger Promo Tour, but due to Internet issues and illness, that week didn't go as planned. I still wanted you all to get a chance to "meet" and learn more about Fay and her blog so here she is to tell you more about her blog and its unique name...

Hi, bookish friends! Some of you might be curious about my blog name, and I thought of sharing the meaning of Bibliophile Soprano for my SBPT post this week.

When I was thinking of starting a book blog, I wanted a blog name that would represent me. I love books and I love music. I wanted to sing bookish songs for the books that I love.

Okay, back to my blog name. I first thought of The Singing Bibliophile, but after taking a friend’s opinion into consideration, I decided to use Bibliophile Soprano - with “bibliophile” representing the bookish part, and “soprano” representing the musical part.

I use @bookishsongs as my Twitter handle because @bibliophilesoprano exceeds the character limit. I would have loved to use it! At least Instagram allowed the username - so if you’d like to see my bookstagram, head over to @bibliophilesoprano. :)

That’s it for the short story behind my blog name! Thank you for dropping by to read this post!

Thank you, Fay, for the explanation! I think music is a wonderful way to express your love for books!

Get Back-to-School Ready with this YA Retellings Blog Blast!

Recently, we asked several Entangled TEEN authors of YA Retellings the following question, "What book or story would you like to see updated for the young adult market?", and where possible, we've shared their responses below with you!

Forget the ghosts, Mica. It’s real, live people you should fear.
Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.
This town will suck you in and not let go.
Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.
Find the answers.Unless, of course, the answers find you first.Gaby's Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less:
As a huge fan of haunted house stories, I’d love to see a retelling of the Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. First published in 1959, this was and still is, one of the finest examples of psychological terror ever known in the horror genre, and because I love stories that scare you with what’s not there rather than what is, I would love to see this interpreted for a teen audience. Are we caught up in Eleanor’s mind, or is a real poltergeist haunting her? “Whatever walked there, walked alone.” Yeah, definitely this one.

Buy Wake the Hollow:

Vivi Barnes, author of Olivia Twisted, which is a YA Retelling of Oliver Twist:

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite―break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…
Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Olivia Decoded: This isn’t my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who’s occupied the better part of my mind for eight months.
This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger.
I’ve spent the past year trying to get my life on track. New school. New friends. New attitude. But old flames die hard, and one look at Jack—the hacker who enlisted me into his life and his hacking ring, stole my heart, and then left me—and every memory, every moment, every feeling comes rushing back. But Jack’s not the only one who’s resurfaced in my life. And if I can’t break through Z’s defenses and reach the old Jack, someone will get hurt…or worse.

Vivi's Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less:I first saw the movie To Kill A Mockingbird when I was a teenager, and I believe it played a large part in opening my eyes to the realities and consequences of racism. Considering the state of the world today, I would love to see the story retold as a young adult novel with a Muslim-American Tom Robinson. I think capturing the attention of young adults through literature is one of the most effective ways we can change the world for the better.

Pre-order Olivia Decoded (Olivia Twisted, #2):

Cindi Madsen's All the Broken Pieces - YA Retelling of Frankenstein:

What if your life wasn’t your own?
Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.
Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?Cindi's Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less:Hmm. What retelling would I love to see? I’m a big fan of the classics, and twists on them. I’ll read just about any Pride & Prejudice retelling. Beauty and the Beast is also a favorite. But I’d love to see a modern retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I think that there could be a lot of possibilities and different ways to go, but I think one with a lot of tension and romance and kissing (my fave), would be amazing! And I just found out Entangled Teen recently acquired a Count of Monte Cristo retelling called STING, by Cindy Wilson! *makes grabby hands*

Buy All The Broken Pieces:

Never was there a tale of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo…
But true love never dies. Though they’re parted by the veil between the world of mortals and the land of the dead, Romeo believes he can restore Juliet to life, but he’ll have to travel to the underworld with a thoroughly infuriating guide.
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, may not have inherited his father’s crown, but the murdered king left his son a much more important responsibility—a portal to the Afterjord, where the souls of the dead reside. When the determined Romeo asks for help traversing the treacherous Afterjord, Hamlet sees an opportunity for adventure and the chance to avenge his father’s death.
In an underworld filled with leviathan monsters, ghoulish shades, fire giants, and fierce Valkyrie warriors, Hamlet and Romeo must battle their way through jealousy, despair, and their darkest fears to rescue the fair damsel. Yet finding Juliet is only the beginning, and the Afterjord doesn’t surrender souls without a price…

Buy Such Sweet Sorrow:

A.L. Davroe's Nexis - YA Retelling of "Cinderella":

In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then…the crash. Devastated by her father’s death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.
Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship…and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.

A.L.'s Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less:I’m a huge fan of retellings of stories that are a little less well know. Even better? Gender swapped stories! That’s a field rich for the harvest and I don’t know why we’re not all jumping on that boat. Although, I hear Channing Tatum is going to be in a gender-swapped version of Splash. That’s gonna be something to see…

Buy Nexis (Tricksters, #1):

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains swoony situations, adult language, and a perfectly imperfect hero with an eye for calculus and a heart of gold.How far will you go for perfection?
For “Perfect Paige” Westfeld, today is “D” Day. As in, she just got one on her calculus test. With her dreams of Stanford, her reputation, and her parents’ expectations at stake, Paige needs to find a way to save face before everything she’s worked for goes up in flames.
Ben Franklin (yes, he’s related) is from the wrong side of town, with the wrong clothes and the wrong kind of life. He also knows an opportunity when he sees one, and he’ll be happy to tutor Paige—if she makes him into the kind of guy her best friend, the hottest girl in school, will date.
It’s the perfect arrangement. And Paige is determined not even the inconvenient—and utterly imperfect—attraction simmering between her and Ben will ruin it…

Kendra's Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less:I’d love the see Samson and Delilah told as an epic love story between two enemies, in a dystopian where magic is real (think An Ember in the Ashes). Samson, an eighteen-year- old with unusual strength has been helping his country’s army fight off an invasion by Delilah’s countrymen. Delilah, a renowned beauty, is blackmailed into starting a relationship with Samson to spy for her country in exchange from saving her sister from slavers. Against all odds, they fall in love, but Delilah still has to betray Samson. The twist would be that she frees him from his captors in the end, and they escape together.

Buy Finding Perfect (Finding Perfect, #1):

Alyxandra Harvey's Red - YA Retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood":

Bad girls burn hot…
Red is the color of Kia Alcott’s hair.
It’s her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble. And it’s the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.
When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It’s an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.
Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.
But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn’t stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

Buy Red:

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains an unbelievably hot bad boy, an unbelievably famous actress, and all the drama that comes with adding both to your family. Oh, and a forbidden flirtation with a soon-to-be stepbrother
When your life feels like a bad movie, rewrite the script.
When Willa Schofer’s father comes home from a business trip with an über-famous new fiancée, Willa’s senior year blows up in paparazzi-fueled flames. Overnight, she has a new house, a new car, and a new soon-to-be stepbrother—the unbelievably hot, unbelievably arrogant, Finn McCain. Thank god he’s constantly pushing her buttons, or she might do something irresponsible. Like fall for the jerk.
Just when Willa’s decided to avoid him for, oh, ever, Finn lands in the center of her senior project team. Seriously—how hard is it to shake a guy? At least her work on the project snagged the attention of the (second) hottest guy in school. He might only be into her because of her famous stepmom, and he’s not quite as exciting as a certain annoying housemate, but at least she’s allowed to crush on the guy.
Because crushing on your annoying stepbrother? So not cool.
Willa and Finn Book 2 coming November 14, 2016

Friday, August 26, 2016

Today author Calla Devlin was kind enough to answer a few of my questions for part of the Tell Me Something Real blog tour!

But before we get to that, here's a little more about the book...

Three sisters struggle with the bonds that hold their family together as they face a darkness settling over their lives in this masterfully written debut novel.There are three beautiful blond Babcock sisters: gorgeous and foul-mouthed Adrienne, observant and shy Vanessa, and the youngest and best-loved, Marie. Their mother is ill with leukemia and the girls spend a lot of time with her at a Mexican clinic across the border from their San Diego home so she can receive alternative treatments.

Vanessa is the middle child, a talented pianist who is trying to hold her family together despite the painful loss that they all know is inevitable. As she and her sisters navigate first loves and college dreams, they are completely unaware that an illness far more insidious than cancer poisons their home. Their world is about to shatter under the weight of an incomprehensible betrayal…

Calla Devlin is a Pushcart nominee and winner of the Best of Blood and Thunder Award whose stories have been included in numerous literary journals and in anthologies, including Because I Love Her: 34 Women Writers Reflect on the Mother-Daughter Bond, for which she was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Magazine.

Tell Me Something Real follows three sisters as their family faces a profound loss, but they ultimately reckon with an earth-shattering betrayal.

What inspired this book?

When I was young, I would travel with my mother, a nurse, to Mexico, where she volunteered at a seaside clinic. My siblings and I were bored and restless. We wanted to be anywhere but there. If we were going to spend afternoons in Baja California, we wanted to swim and shop. We didn’t want to sit in the blazing sun, waiting.

I barely remember the actual building, and I don’t recall seeing the cancer patients my mother spent hours nursing. Whenever I road tripped, I thought of Mexico and the border crossing. I couldn’t shake the memory of that specific drive. I wanted to write about that setting, filling the hospital with characters I’d begun to imagine. I didn’t want to write about a sick child, but I wanted to evoke that helpless almost hostage feeling of waiting, hours on end, knowing something devastating lingered within the halls of the hospital.

Describe each of the main characters with one word.

Adrienne: Firecracker

Vanessa: Big-hearted

Marie: Devout

The story features sisters and their relationship during a difficult time. Were they inspired by anyone?

I have sisters, but they are nothing (NOTHING!) like the Babcock girls. Honestly, I am equal parts Vanessa and Adrienne (after not enough sleep and a ton of coffee). They feel very real to me, but they are unlike anyone I’ve met.

If the book were made into a movie, who would you cast?

That’s a hard question! I think the mom character is the easiest to cast, maybe Cate Blanchett or Jessica Chastain or Nicole Kidman. Definitely an actress who can convey very deep feelings and a hint of darkness.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

I love traveling and being at the ocean. I take long walks, especially when I’m working on a book, to think about characters and plot.

What do you like to read?

I love fiction, adult and YA. I’m always on the lookout for books with well-developed characters, beautiful writing, and an interesting story. I love a good love story.

What's next for you?

I’m working on a new novel about a girl whose father, a respected journalist, is abducted while covering a story. She and her mother are left waiting to learn his fate, and while doing so, the girl finds herself and gets to really know her mother for the first time.